Clutch or the like



April s, 1941. f T L, FAW. 2,237,864

' CLUTCH 0R THE LIKE Filed Dec. 15, 19:59

' 31u/Luau. Av

ATTO RN EY Patented A151?. s,

its preferred form,

ENT OFFICE This invention relates; 'Kto clutches', although ,some of its features fare applicable also to brakes.

Some: of its featuresA are inv some instances, more broadly claimed in. my Letters' Patent No. 2,'111,42f2j,`grented March 15,1938;

No. 2,141,645, gantedDecember 27,1938; No@` 2,213,000, granted August 27, 1940; N0. 2,214,164,

ing applicationsSer. No. 101,638, 'filed lSeptem''z (CL. ,H2-33).? f v .ingress and egressof uid', through aV conduit Whicl'i'comprses bores I8, I9 in the 'shaft I0, a' `pipe,a-l;\ o re2| in the member I3, a bore 22 in the member I4, and a bag stem 23 `through which the bore 2,2 is in communication with the l interior of thebag.

y The bag I5 is formedwith an internal rubber filler and stop portion `24v having Va wide, transgranted September 10, 1940, and inmycopendf' ber 19, 1936; Ser. No. 131,656, liiled March18,

1937; SerrNo. 158,592, filed August 1 1, 1937.

The chiefv objects of the present invention-are to provide a` clutch of thedistensible-bag type in which :centrifugal force will assistiti clutchdisengagement; toprovide quickness ofv action ini. engagementand disengagement ofthe frictionally-engaging members; to provide for actuationy of the clutchor the like with'o'ut requiring the ingress or egress of va large amount of actuating fluid; to provide against excessively sharp exure of the wallsof the bag; to provide ready adjustability as to the amountV of clearance between the frictional members in their disengaged relation; and to provide ready adjustabillty as to. the amount .of ingress and egress *of fluid 'required for engagementiand disengagement offthe frictionallyengagingmembers. v

Fig.. 1of the accompanying drawingl'an axial section of` a clutch embodylngmyinvention vin Fig. 2 is a fragmentary 'endf velevation` "o f the same, from the rightl of Fig. 1'." f Referring to v.the drawing, the-assembly' come' prises a. pair o fv at. east"substantially-aligned,j shafts I0 `and yI I `in' erie s,`;e ither 1of which; may be the driving, and he"other'the'driven ,shaft;

In the following de criptionitt will-"be assumed that lo is the driving snaftandtnatftnemembers I2, I3 and I4 constitutefay-.wheelmounted adapted for frictionaldriving `ehsasmet-- the outer, annular face ofa maleclutch-nriengi b er? 2 50 I1 which is secured'upon the shaft IIT; '11's versely flat; inner faceadapted to contact the internal face 'of the portion of the bag on which the. Wear-*members I6 are mounted, the filler vmember thus beingadap'te'd to serve as a stop'for that portion of thefbag whenit is moved out- .Wardly from thelaxis of the assembly, as by centrifugal force, in disengaging of the clutch.

' AThefiiller-and-stop member24- thus provides fthe' advantages of small fluid-flow; requirement vand-also` .prevents the bag Wall from being viiexed too sharply at its side-wall bulges 25, 25.

Preferably thel ller-and-stopmember or por- A,tion ZI-is vof hollow construction, with a fluid- `tight lining tube 26 adapted to receive a harmless distending fluid such as castor oil, glycerine l o rthe like, through a filling stem 21 (shown at the lowermost part of the'drawing). This provides for adjustment as to the effective radial 5 `depth of the fll1erand-stop portion 24, for initial adjustment and for compensation for wear of the frictionally engaging surfaces.

-In the'operation of the device, induction of 'pressure fluid into the bag distends it radially inward, toward'the axis. of rotation, and thus :causes the members Ito engage the male clutch lmember I1. v

. Upon release of the fluid pressure not only the resilienceof the bag vbut also centrifugal force ofl its inwardly distended portion [and also that ofthe members I6 act lto effect quick and complete' disengagement of the clutch.

.l f Compensation for wear is had by forcing adf ditional uid into-the lining member 26- through The annular bag I5 inzcross-seotional"form is elongated axially `of the assembly, forflarge effective area of fluid pressure for holding. thefrlotional members in engagement, andis of short radial dimension 4for actuation by ysmall theuing stem 21. 1" v Modifications are possible Within the scope of the 'inventiorras defined by the appended-claims,

g 41 The 'combination `of two relatively rotatable ,h structures'adapted for torque-sustaining engaget l ment with each other, said combination comprising an inner member having an outer, an-

fn'ular,Y frictional-,engagement face, an5 outer member surrounding the same, and a flexible, Huid-retaining,

torque-transmitting. member mounted on the outer member and having an inss'wardly bayed inner` peripheral portion adapted to befurther distendedinwardly for frictional engagement with the inner member, said iiexible member comprising oppositely bulged torquetransmitting side-walls which are unconiined and freely-exing in service.

2. The combination of two relatively rotatable structures adapted for torque-sustaining engagement with each other, said combination comprising an inner member having an outer, annular, frictional-engagement tace, an outer member surrounding the same, and a exible, fluid-retaining, torque-transmitting member mounted on the outer member and having an inwardly bayed inner peripheral portion adapted to be further distended inwardly for frlctional engagement with the inner member, said iiexible member having oppositely bulged, torque-transmitting side-walls which are unconilned and freely-ilexing in service and wear members mounted on its inner peripheral iace.

3. The combination oi' two relatively rotatable structures adapted for torque-sustaining engagement with each other, said combination comprising an inner member having an outer, annular, frictional-engagement face, an outer member surrounding the same, a exible, iluidretaining, torque-transmitting member mounted on the outer member and having an inwardly bayed inner peripheral portion adapted to be further distended inwardly for` frictional en- `gagement with the inner member, and iiller means extending into the duid-receiving space defined by the inwardly bayed portion of the flexible member.

4. The combination of two relatively rotatable structures adapted for torque-sustaining engagement with each other, said combination comprising an inner member having an outer, annular, frictional-engagement face, an outer member surrounding the same, a flexible, fluidretaining, torque-transmitting member mounted on the outer member and having an inwardly bayed inner peripheral portion adapted to be further distended inwardly for frictional engagement with the inner member, and illler means extending into the fluid-receiving space dened by the inwardly bayed portion of the flexible member, said filler means being formed with a surface adapted to serve as a stop for the inner peripheral portion of the flexible member upon outward movement of the latter.

5. The combination of two relatively rotatable structures adapted for torque-sustaining engagement with each other, said combination comprising an inner member having an outer, annular, frictional-engagement face, an outer member surrounding the same, a flexible, iluidretaining, torque-transmitting member mounted on the outer member and having an inwardly bayed inner peripheral portion adapted to be further distended inwardly for frictional engagement with the inner member and ller means extending into the duid-receiving space defined by this inwardly bayed portion oi' the nexible member, said nller means being formed with a surface adapted to serve as a stop for the inner peripheral portion of the iiexible member upon outward movement of the latter, and the ilexible member having bulged side-walls.

8. The combination of two relatively rotatable structures adapted for torque-sustaining engagement with each other, said combination comprising an inner member having an outer, annular, Irictional-engagement face, an outer member surrounding the same, a flexible, fluidretaining, torque-transmitting member mounted on. the outer member and having an inwardly bayed inner peripheral portion adapted to be further distended inwardly for frictional engagement with the inner member, iiller means extending into the duid-receiving space denned by the inwardly bayed portion ot the flexible member, the filler means being hollow and ilexible, and a uid in the hollow iiller means.

7. The combination of two relatively rotatable structures adapted forv torque-sustaining engagement with each other, said combination comprising an inner member having an outer, annular, Irictional-engagement tace, an outer member surrounding the same, a exible, uidretaining, torque-transmitting member mounted on the outer member and having an inwardly bayed inner peripheral portion adapted to be further distended inwardly for frictional engagement with the inner member, ller means extending into the fluid-receiving space defined by the inwardly bayed portion of the exible member, the illler means being hollow and flexible, and means for conducting a iiuid into it.

8. The combination oi two relatively rotatable structures adapted for torque-sustaining engagement with each other, one of said structures comprising a duid-container adapted to be distended for eiecting such engagement, and a second fluid-container constituting a space filler member for restricting the range of distension of the irst mentioned iiuid container.

9. The combination of two relatively rotatable structures adapted for torque-sustaining engagement with eaeh other, one of said structures comprising a iluid-container adapted to be distended for eiecting such engagement, a second fluid-container constituting a space-filler member, the two said iiuid containers being integrally formed, and means for conducting iluid to the fluid-containers respectively.

10. The combination of two relatively rotatable structures adapted for torque-sustaining engagement with each other, one of said structures comprising a fluid-container adapted to be distended for effecting such engagement, a second iluid container constituting a space-filler member, and means for conducting tluid to the duid-containers respectively, the fluid conducting means of one of the containers extending through -a part of the other container.

THOMAS L. FAWICK. 

